Palman

Palman
Detail of Krunisanje Cara Dušana (Coronation of Tsar Dušan) by Paja Jovanović (1900).
Born	~1290 Duchy of Styria, Holy Roman Empire (modern Austria)
Died	1363+
Allegiance	Serbian Empire
Years of service	1331-1355+
Rank	Vitez (Knight)
Unit	Alemannic Guard (mercenaries), 300 Germans

Palman (Serbian: Палман, Latin: Palmanus; fl. 1310-1363) was a German noble (dominus), knight, and mercenary commander of the Alemannic Guard in the Serbian Imperial army of one of the most prolific European rulers of its time, Dušan the Mighty (r.1331–1355).

Palman was born in ca. 1290, in Styria (present Austria), into a noble, Roman Catholic family. He had the facial condition of Cleft lip and palate. Palman was brought up at the court of his father, and at 13 years he became a courtsman. At 16 he became a squire (armiger) at the service of Henry III of Gorizia until 1310, when his father died and he returned to Styria and inherited all of the family holdings. He then served the House of Habsburg; one of the Dukes crowned Palman a knight during the marriage of his daughter. At 27 years, he operated his harelip in Venice, as he thought it would help him in getting his love, a countess back home who did not feel the same, however it did not help. Broken hearted, he joined knight tournaments all over the Holy Roman Empire where he fought for several years, losing a finger. After returning, and still not having his love answered, he decided to leave for the Holy land.

Palman and his entourage crossed into Zeta, a maritime province of the Serbian Kingdom, in hands of Young King (heir) Stephen Uroš IV Dušan, and decided to join his service as mercenaries.